Life Goes On
by SeveralSunlitDays7
Summary: The Battle Of Hogwarts has just finished, and Harry remembers the lives lost, and the life left to live. COMPLETE


Harry Potter stared into the flames of the Common Room fire. He wasn't sleeping. Every time he fell asleep, he was plagued with dreams of the Final Battle, so recently won.

The explosions, the mayhem, the intense horror and fear that he may never see some of his friends ever again.

Harry rubbed his knuckles in his eyes, willing himself to stay awake. He was alone. He wanted to be alone. As the recent saviour of the Wizarding World, people, fans, everyone couldn't get enough of him. They wanted to talk to him, thank him, certify to themselves that he was real. The worst of them wanted to date him. He was receiving so much fan mail he had stopped opening them. All he wanted was to spend time with the people he loved, and who loved Harry for himself.

However, as he always seemed to do, Harry had drawn within himself, trying to give his friends space to mourn. The Weasley's especially. Ever since the death of Fred, Harry had not seen a single smile from his surrogate family. George almost never talked, let alone joked around anymore. Hermione spent much of her time with Ron now, so Harry hadn't seen her recently either.

So Harry mourned by himself. He thought of Remus Lupin and his wife Nymphadora Tonks, barely parents for three months. Harry could only hope that their son Teddy would understand in the future. He thought of Colin Creevey, who had snuck back from the evacuation of underage students, only to die, so young.

He thought of Severus Snape. Everything Harry had believed of Snape was false, after all this time. Harry would never like the man, but after he had died, Harry found a new respect, an understanding and forgiveness of the man who had hated him so much, but saved him countless times, for the undying love he had felt for Harry's mother.

Now Harry remembered his parents. The peacefulness he felt when he had again met them, as he believed himself to be walking to his death. He wished he could have more time with them, wished they had not died, but Harry knew and understood that they made him who he was today. Even if he was being chased by hundreds of screaming fan girls.

Dumbledore. The man who knew all, and yet still made mistakes. The man who believed in who Harry was to the very end. The man who manipulated Harry, led him on a merry chase through the desolate scenery of Britain, and yet the man who Harry trusted to the very end. Harry knew he was, and always would be, Dumbledore's man through and through.

Now, with the world celebrating and mourning, Harry had absolutely no idea what he would do with his life. He had always believed he would end with Voldemort, the man who had worked to kill Harry for the last seven years of his life. Now his life ahead was not filled with the threat of death, watching his step as psychopaths hunted him. Oh, a few Death Eaters were still not captured, and would no doubt seek revenge on Harry for their master's death, but that was different.

There was lots to do around Hogwarts. Rebuild the castle for one thing, and prepare it for the return of students in the following months. Bury the dead. Professor McGonagall had already begun organising a memorial service to be held in Hogsmead the very next day. Harry thought McGonagall wanted to ask him to say something, but he had been diligently avoiding contact with her, and so many others.

There was a clatter on the stairs and Harry whipped around, wand out, only to come face to face with Ginny. He dropped his wand.

"Er–"

Before he could say even a single word, Ginny had thrown herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his head, as if she never wanted to let go again.

Reflexively, he hugged her back.

They stood there like that for a long time, but it said more than words. He could smell the battle on her, so recent. He could smell the faint tang of blood and salt. Harry had no idea if she was crying or not, but he could feel everything through her hug.

Fear, loss, pain, betrayal. Love. Forgiveness.

Harry buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

They stood together like that for a long time, and Harry knew, eventually, that all would be well.


End file.
